Timed radio program selector



llg. 13, 1935. G. G. PERNQD 2,010,826

TIMED RADIO PROGRAM SELECTOR 'Gttorneg Aug. 13, 1935. G, G. PERNOD TIMED RADIO PROGRAM SELECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec, 16, 1953 Bnventor Gzyzze Gfjgerizod (Ittorneg Patented Aug. 13, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFNE TIMED RADIO PROGRAM SELECTQR Gustave G. Pernod, New York, N. Y. y

Application December 16, 1933, Serial No. 702,772

9 Claims.

It is an object of this invention to provide means whereby a radio-listener may adjust a radio receiver to automatically reproduce any of a certain number of programs available in a desired order after the apparatus has been initially set.

It is a further object of this invention to provide means whereby a radio-listener may adjust a radio receiver to automatically reproduce a program from a certain desired broadcasting station at a certain time and for a predetermined period of time.

It is a further object of this invention to provide means whereby a radio-listener may adjust a radio receiver to automatically reproduce a certain number of programs available in a desired order and to maintain the receiver silent at predetermined times and for predetermined intervals of time.

It is also an object of this invention to provide me-ans to automatically tune a radio receiver to predetermined frequencies at predetermined times, and to maintain a desired tuning of the receiver for predetermined intervals of time.

Other and further important objects of this invention will appear hereinafter.

By means of the invention described hereinafter itis now possible for a radio-listener to look over the list of radio programs published in the vdaily papers and to then set his radio receiver so that it will automatically turn from one station to another to reproduce only the kind of program desired by the listener as the evening passes.

v If it should so happen that a program of the kind .desirable is not available during a certain period, then the receiver can be adjusted to remain silent vduring that period and to automatically tune in a station broadcasting the desired kind of program at the end of this period.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of the invention with parts in section and parts broken.

Figure 2 is a ldetail View of a part of the device shown in Figure 1, with parts in elevation, parts in section, and parts broken.

Figure 3 is a detail view of an impelling mechanism with parts broken and with parts in section.

Figure 4 is a perspective View of part of the mechanism shown in Figure 3, with parts in section and parts broken.

Figure 5 is a detail view of a portion of the panel shown in Figure 1, with parts broken, parts in section, and parts inplan to show a modication of the switch.

As shown in Figure 1, a radio receiver l0 is (Cl. Z50- 20) provided with a graduated tuning knob Si co inected to the tuning elements o' the receiver t tune the receiver to desired broadcasting frequencies.

The tuning knob i i is suitably geared by gears i2 to a hollow drum I3 which houses a coiied spring i4 adapted to norm-ahy turn the gears i2 and the knob l l so that the knob is normally returned to a zero setting. A beit i5 is secured to and wound en the drum i3 and means, describeihereinafter, are provided to cause turning ci the drum I3, against the action of the spring ifi, to turn the knob l l and tune the receiver for a desired station, and for a predetermined period oi time.

Secured to the belt i5 is a member li: provided with a forwardly extending shelf or bracket l? adapted to receive and support ent end of a weighted member I3. The member EG is suitably apertured or recessed to guidedly slide on a rod i9, which is secured te a supporting frame Z0.

The frame 2D includes vertical members to which are connected a transverse topbar a central springy shelf 23, and a base 'member Suitably supported for sliding movement on the frame 2B is a panel beard Z5 which is provided with a top shelf and rollers 2l are mounted on the frame 2E to guidedly support the upper and lower ends of the panel 25.

The shelf 2E is provided with rectangular slots 28 through which the weighted members i3 may drop, to a depth previously anticipated.

The members iS are cach provided with an elongated lower portion and the inner iaee of this portion is recessed at 3i to provide a lip 3f?. which rests on the springy shelf 23 and so holds the member i8 in its upper position.

By means described hereinafter each of the members i8 is pushed off the shelf on to t bracket Il to cause the member i@ to drop a predetermined distance and so tune the receiver yI0 to several dierent broadcasting stations.

How far each member i8 will drop v en it is pushed off the shelf 23 is usually determined by the position of stop members 33 of insulating material which are slidable in slots 3e of the panel board, and which may be secureiy held in an adjusted position by clamping means 35, cornprising a screw and a knob, or by other suitable clamping means.

The radio receiver l0 may be energized in the usual manner by connecting it to the lighting mains, but switch means are interposed to com trol energization of the receiver in ti e operation of the radio selector.

These switch ineens include the members I8 and the stop members 33 connected in series with the power supply.

A wire 36 connects the receiver IB and the rod IS, and another wire 37 connects the receiver EG with a contact 38 on each of the stop members 33. It will now bey obvious that when a member I8 rests on the contact 3S the power circuit is closed, and that when the member I8 is pushed out of contact with the bracket Il the power circuit is opened. It is obvious that other means may be adapted to close and open the power circuit to the radio receiver coincident with the lowering and raising of the belt it respectively. As indicated in Figure 5, the portion 5I of the panel 25 in which the slots 3Q- are formed may be of insulating material faced with a conducting strip 52 connected to the wire 3l for circuit connection with the contact 38, and the circuit may be broken by lowering the stop and the contact 36 out of circuit connection with the conyductor 52.

It will ralso be obvious that with the means shown one may position a stop member low enough soi that the member I8 will not be eifective lto close the circuit and the receiver will remain silent while the belt is in its lowered position.

A shallow tray 38 is secured to the back of .the panel 25 and extends along the length thereof, and the tray is divided into three longitudinally extending compartments by spaced partitions fit. 'Toothed tumblers 6I are placed in the compartments, each toothed tumbler having a width substantially equal to the width of the portion of the panel apportioned to each of the weighted members I 8 and its cooperating stop 33. When the tumblers 4l rare in their lowered position the tops of the teeth are below the upper edge of the partitions of the tray, so that oscillating pawls sliding `along the upper edge of the walls cannot .engage the teeth.

The tray is provided withside apertures so that a key i2 may be inserted through the panel 25 into the tray to raise any one of a Yset of three tumblers into engagement with an oscillating pawl.

Three oscillating pawls 43, dll and 45 are provided, and they are each driven at a different speed by being suitably attached to revolving cams .4.6 which are turned by gears 4l' driven `through a shaft 48 by a spring motor 49. The spring motor' i9 is provided with an escapement so that the time taken to move the pawl to the left through the cooperation oi the pawls and the tumblers is predetermined and definite. The spring motor also includes a clock mechanism which may be set to release the mechanism o1 the spring motor to actuate the pawls at some desired future time, in a manner similar to that in which the clock mechanism may be set to ring the alarm in the household alarm clock.

A 'knob 56 is provided by means of which the spring motor may be started or stopped.

A winding dial 5l is also provided to wind the spring of the motor, and a knob 52 is provided by means of which one may set the mechanism for starting at some future time.

It will be obvious that electric motor means may be substituted for the spring motor and timing means disclosed, provided that provision is made for timed movement of the panel when operated by the electric motor.

Each tumbler 4i is provided with three teeth, and it will be obvious that as a pawl oscillates it hooks behind a tooth yon its leftward stroke and slowly moves the panel 25 to the left. Any convenient number of teeth may be provided, of course, depending on the number of reciprocations and distance of travel of the pawls.

When the tumbler furthest from the back of the panel is raised it becomes engageable with a pawl i3 and this pawl is driven slow enough to require an hour for movement of the tumbler along its length. The intermediate tumbler is adapted for engagement with a pawl lll driven at such a speed that one half hour elapses while the tumbler is moved along its length, and the nearest tumbler is adapted for engagement with a pawl i5 for movement in one quarter hour.

In the operation of the timed radio selector: The panel board 25 is moved to the eXtreme right, and the members le are each raised until their lower ends rest on the spring shelf 23. The stop members 33 are adjusted to .subsequently result in the tuning of the receiver it for desired frequencies, and the keys l2-are adjusted to determine the time taken to move each division of the pane-l and so determine how long each station will be connected, or the time interval between stations.

The panel board is now moved manually to the left until the first member i8, on the left of the panel, has been pushed off the shelf 23 and on to the bracket il to cause the belt I5 to descend .and tune the radio 1^eceiver. When the member I 8 drops on to the stop 33 the receiver pow-er circuit becomes energized. When the panel is thus rst moved to the starting position one of the oscillating pawls will engage a tooth of one of the tumblers if a tumbler has been raised by insertion of a key d2, otherwise, the panel will not be automatically pulled to the left, Again, there will be no movement of the panel if the spring motor has not been released to dri-ve the pawls.

If a key l2 has been inserted to raise a tumbler nearest the rear ofthe panel, and the pawls are oscillating, .the panel is slowly pulled to the left. At the end of one-quarter hour the first member i8 is pushed off the bracket il', the radio 4power circuit is opened, the belt i5 ascends, and the' bracket il next lies below the bent end of the neXt member which has been pushed so far to the .left iat it will presently be `clear oi the shelf 23. In the detail view of Figure 2 the rst weighted member is shown as about to leave the bracket il while the next member is about to leave the springy shelf 23 to be caught to the bracket il when it is free of the shelf. A pawl has engaged a tooth of a tumbler in the next set of tumblers, and within a few seconds after the first member was pushed oi the bracket the next one is squarely resting on the bracket and causes the belt to descend and again tune the radio receiver.

The foregoing operations are repeated until the member i8 on the extreme right of the panel has descended and has been moved forward the width of its cooperating tumbler. Means may be provided to stop the spring motor when the panel has moved to the extreme left, but it is a simple matter to so wind the spring of the motor that the motor will stop at any desired time.

A program may be held for any desired length of time by simp-ly stopping the motor, and the motor may be automatically released to again move the panel at some desired future time by the releasing mechanism already mentioned.

While the panel is moving the radio receiver may be held silent during any desired period of time by simply lowering a stop to open the power circuit of the receiver, in the manner hereinbefore described.

As is best shown in Figure 4, the partitions 40 are provided with a ledge 55 adapted to receive a lip 53 formed on the tumblers 4I when they are in their lowered position. The key is provided with an enlarged end portion or cam 54 adapted to lift the tumblers progressively as the key is pulled forward.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than is necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A timed radio program selector, comprising a member for connection to the tuning means of a radio receiver, motor means to move said member and tune the receiver, said motor means comprising a plurality of Weighted members movable into successive seated engagement on said rst member to move said member, and timed means to move said plurality of weighted members into seated engagement with said rst member.

2. A timed radio program selector, comprising a member for connection to the tuning means of a radio receiver, motor means to move said member and tune the receiver, said motor means comprising a plurality of members successively slidable into seated engagement on said first member to produce vertical movement of said first member, a plurality of stop members adjustable to selectively limit vertical movement of said plurality of members and thereby selectively tune said receiver, and timed means adapted to selectively move said plurality of members into engagement with said first member for predetermined periods of time.

3. A radio program selector comprising a supporty a panel slidable on said support, a shelf on said support, a first member for connection with the tuning means of a radio receiver, motor means to move said first member, said motor means comprising a plurality of members slidable on said shelf and movable with said panel and connected with means to move said plurality of members into successive seated engagement on said rst member to produce movement of said member, and timed means to control movement of said panel and of said plurality of members.

4. In combination, a radio receiver having a tuning element, a` belt on said tuning element, a bracket on said belt, a support, a weighted member slidable on said support, and timed means to move said weighted member into supported engagement on said bracket to produce movement of said belt.

5. In combination, a radio receiver, tuning means for said receiver, said tuning means including a bracket movable therewith, a support, a weighted member supported by and slidable on said support, timed means arranged to push said weighted member of said support and on to said bracket to produce movement of said bracket and tuning of the receiver and to subsequently push said member off said bracket at the end of a predetermined interval.

6. A radio receiver, a member connected to the tuning means of said receiver, a support, a plurality of Weighted members seated and slidable on said support, timed means to successively move said Weighted members into seated position on said member to effect tuning of said receiver, a power circuit for said receiver, switch means including said weighted members in said power circuit, and means including said timed means to successively move said weighted members out of engagement with said member at predetermined intervals.

7 A timed radio program selector comprising a bracket member for connection to the tuning means of a radio receiver, a support, a panel slidable on said support, a shelf on said panel, a plurality of weighted members seated on and slidable on said shelf, timed means connected to slide said panel and to move said plurality of members into successive engagement with said bracket to eflect movement of said bracket and tuning of the receiver, and means including said timed means to successively move said plurality of members out of engagement with said bracket at the end of predetermined intervals, and means on said panel manually presettable to limit movement of said weighted members .in one direction and thereb-y determine tuning of the receiver.

8. A timed radio program selector comprising a bracket member for connection to the tuning means of a radio receiver, a support, a panel slidable on said support, a shelf on said panel, a plurality of weighted members seated on and slidable on said shelf, a driving motor including a plurality of pawls geared to oscillate at different speeds, timed means to successively move said plurality of members into engagement with said bracket with selected rates of movement, said means including gear means on said panel, and means on said panel presettable to selectively connect a pawl with said gear means on said panel.

9. A timed radio program selector comprising a bracket member for connection to the tuning means of a radio receiver, a support, a panel slidable on said support, a shelf on said panel, a plurality of Weighted members seated on and slidable on said shelf, a driving motor including a plurality of pawls geared to oscillate at different speeds, timed means to successively move said 

